A Lesson in Kindness
by veiledndarkness
Summary: What Jack has learned from Bobby so far... Warning: Technically not slash, but Jack does have a crush on a certain someone...


Author: veiledndarkness

Title: A Lesson in Kindness

Prompt #: 4 - Inside(s)

Rating: PG

Pairing(if any, or gen): Technically no, though Jack does have a crush,lol.

Summary: What Jack has learned from Bobby so far.

Warnings: Another early story, Jack's probably 13, maybe 14 or so.

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Jack sat at the kitchen table, his newly long legs tucked awkwardly under him as he watched Evelyn prepare the evening meal. He always paid close attention to the way she made the food, the way she stirred and measured just the right amounts of each ingredient. He was secretly fascinated by the process of cooking, though it would have taken a small army of horses to drag that fact from him, something he didn't want any of his brothers to know.

'They already think I'm a sissy' he thought morosely as Evelyn moved from the stove to the sink.

Evelyn walked over to the table and plunked a plastic bowl in front of Jack.

"Do you want to help Jackie?" she asked.

Jack hesitated a second. "Umm, I guess so."

She smiled. "Great! I could use an extra pair of hands in the kitchen. Mix the salad please."

She put several smaller bowls on the table within Jack's reach and handed him a pair of salad tongs. Jack nervously began to add items from each bowl into the bigger mixing bowl, his hand shaking as he lifted the heavy spoons.

Evelyn observed him as she rinsed a few of the plates that she'd used for prep. She grabbed a medium size loaf of bread and a knife and brought it with her to the table. While she sliced the bread she watched Jack start to become more confident in mixing the salad.

"I got a message from your homeroom teacher today Jackie," she said conversationally.

Jack dropped one of the spoons, his eyes wide. He gulped nervously. 'Man, am I in for it' he winced mentally.

"I was just wondering why you would make fun of some of the girls in your class, surely you know better then that at your age," she scolded lightly.

Jack blew out a nearly silent breath. 'Ok, so she's not screaming, that's good.'

"Uh, I dunno," he whispered.

Evelyn glanced up at Jack and shook her head. "I'm sure there was a reason. You don't seem to be the cruel type. And I'm also sure that you wouldn't deliberately hurt someone else."

Jack looked down at the table. He knew how she felt about things like this. He forced himself to meet her eyes.

"I..I've done things before. I've hurt people." He dropped his eyes again, deeply ashamed to admit that he wasn't the good child that someone as kind as Evelyn obviously deserved.

Evelyn nodded. She understood. Fight or be beaten, whether by family or other kids. She'd seen it many times before. She leaned over and opened her hands, palms up and smiled at him. Her smiles seemed to make him relax.

"Jackie, self defense is not the same as willfully making fun of someone. I would never be upset with you for defending yourself. That being said, I certainly don't want to find out that you've been starting fights just so that the bigger boys back off of you."

Jack shook his head. "No, Mom I don't do that. Bobby told me not to."

Then he blushed as realized he'd said that part out loud.

Evelyn laughed a bit before picking up her bread knife again and started to slice the loaf up.

"I'm sure he did. Bobby started the fights because he was much shorter than the other boys for a long time. They ruthlessly picked on him for various things, so one day; he just began to fight back. That doesn't mean that things should be that way and I'm very glad to hear that Bobby doesn't want you to try that."

Jack picked up the salad tongs and began to mix again, slowly lifting the tongs and flipping the lettuce evenly. They worked in silence for a bit before Jack announced that the salad was ready.

Evelyn thanked him and popped it into the fridge. She gathered up the last of the bread slices and arranged them on the plate. Jack kicked his legs back and forth, sensing that their conversation wasn't over.

"So tell me then why you made fun of that girl," Evelyn said as she wiped down the table.

Jack sighed heavily. "The other guys were first, and then Derek started making fun of me saying that I was a fag- uh I mean wuss for not joining them. So I said she was so ugly it hurt to look at her."

He looked down at his shoes as a bright red blush rolled over his cheeks. "I didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but the guys are always on my back, and...and I guess I thought if I did stuff like them, they'd forget about picking on me."

Evelyn nodded in agreement. "I see. So is this girl so 'ugly it hurts'?"

Jack flinched. "No" he muttered. "She's not like, hot or anything, but she's not y'know ugly," he added, feeling the need to explain.

Evelyn walked over to Jack, and gently tilted his chin so he would look up at her.

"Jack, real beauty is on the inside," she said firmly before letting go of Jack's chin.

Jack thought this over for a moment. Then he gave her a puzzled frown.

"Bobby said that's just something that ugly people say," he said.

Evelyn bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. 'Only Bobby,' she thought.

"That's not the point Jackie, and you know it. Now, I want you to apologize to the girl tomorrow morning before school starts," she said, still hiding her grin at Jack's words.

Jack started to protest. Evelyn stopped him. "No excuses young man. It's not ok to say things like that, and you owe that girl an apology. Talk to her before the other boys get there if need be."

"Go wash up for dinner sweetheart," she added, dropping a kiss on his forehead so he would know that she wasn't angry with him. Jack was out of the kitchen the second he heard Bobby and Angel arguing as they came through the door. Evelyn's shoulders shook with laughter as she started to pull the needed plates down from the cupboard.

'I really should speak to Bobby about the things he says to Jack,' she thought, fighting the grin that kept popping up on her face.

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lol my fave line from Liar, Liar


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